Combined stoker and firedoor



Jan. 9, 1934. P. A KETcHPl-:L 1,942,819

COMBINED STOKER AND FIREDOOR Filed. Oct. 6, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 91934 P. A. KETCHPEL COMBINED STOKER AND FIREDOOH Filed ost. 6. 1931 2sheets-sheet 2 v ATTORNEY,

segments 29 which have their adjacent faces curved and are secured to ailexible member 30 as by means of the rivets 3l. The opposite ends 32,32a of the plate-like portion 27 and 33, 33a of the segments 29 arereceived in the races 34, 34a. in the sidewalls 35, 35a, respectively,which are formed as a part of the door frame F secured to the backwall13 for receiving the sliding door C. The sidewalls 35, 35a extendrearwardly from the lower portion of the door frame F and are spacedapart a distance equal substantially to the width of the stokerdischarge conduit mouth portion. The point where these side walls extendrearwardly from the lower portion of the door frame in effectconstitutes the extreme upper edge of the fuel supporting portions ofthe side walls of the discharge conduit and the extensions thereaboveform a frame for the door C and do not function as fuel supporting wallsof the conduit. Adjacent this point and near the upper marginal edge ofthe ring opening a transverse bar 82 forms a tie between the side wallextensions constituting the door frame F. The contiguous edges of theupper end of the rear wall, the transverse bar 82 and that portion ofthe side walls 35, 35a therebetween form an aperture in the upper sideof the discharge conduit. It will be noted that the horizontal distancebetween the longitudinal extremities of the aforesaid aperture isgreater than the longitudinal horizontal distance across the feedconduit adjacent the lower extremity of said aperture, which lowerextremity is, of course, the

upper edge of the rear wall of the conduit and the other extremity isformed by the transverse bar 82. The door C forms a movable closure forthe aperture and as such also may be considered as a redoor for the ringopening 12.

The door C may be power operated and for this purpose a motor cylinder36, housing a piston 37 is attached to the door frame F. The piston 37is operatively connected to a lever 38 which is fulcrumed as at 39 andconnected to the flat plate-like portion 27 of the door C as by means ofthe roller 40 which is received by the channelled portion 4l of thelever 38. A handle 42 extending outwardly from said lever 38 is providedfor the manual operation of the door C which may be retained in anopened position by means of the latch 43 engaging the lug 43a formedwith said door. Pressure fluid, such as compressed air, is supplied tothe motor cylinder 36 by the lead 44 for power operation of the door.

A control mechanism, generally indicated at 45 controls the supply ofcompressed air for the opening of the door C and is also arranged tointerrupt the operation of the Stoker in a manner as will now bedescribed.

The control mechanism 45 comprises a body 46 encasing the chambers 47and 48 which house the valves 47a and 48a respectively. A lead 49supplies compressed air to the chamber 47 for admission to the lead line50 when the valve 47a. is raised as by means of the lever arm 51 movableby pressure on the pedal arm 52. Steam is supplied by the pipe 53 to thechamber 48 from whence it passes into the pipe 54 for supplying steamfor the Stoker prime mover, diagrammatically shown at M. The valve 48ais provided with a stem 55 to which is secured a spring 56. The spring56 rests on an extension 51a of the lever arm 5l and is of a suitablestrength, to cause the valve 48a to be seated, against the pressure inthe steam pipe 53 when the lever arm 51 is raised.

Suppose now, that the Stoker is in operation delivering fuel to thefirebox and the door C is closed, and the fireman wishes to open thedoor. He depresses the pedal arm 52, causing the free end of the leverarm 51 to be raised. The lever arm 51 in its upward movement contactsthe spring 56, pushes it, together with the attached valve stem 55 andvalve 43a upwardly to seat the valve 48a, thereby interrupting thepassage of steam from the steam supply pipe 53 to the pipe 54 and as aresult halting the operation of the stoker. Futher, pressure of thepedal arm 52 will cause the lever arm 5l to compress the spring 56 sothat the lever arm 51 may travel upwardly a sufficient distance tounseat the valve 47a, allowing compressed air to pass from the lead 49into the lead 56 for opening the door C directly, or, as shown in thedrawings and hereinafter described more in detail, to supply compressedair to the motor cylinder 36 through a regulating valve 57 which servesto connect pressure fluid lines 53 and 59, each of which branches fromthe steam pipe 53 and to connect the compressed air lines 50 and 44.

The regulating valve 57 comprises a cylinder 70 housing a valve member7l therein which is provided with the piston 69 and the stem 6l recessedas at 62 so that when the piston 60 is moved upwardly, the pressurefluid lines 58 and 59 are in communication with each other. A fluid line63 branches from the pressure fluid line 58 and communicates with achamber or header 64 at the rear of the discharge conduit 17, the header64 being arranged to issue blasts of pressure fluid forwardly therefromat about the plane of the distributor plate 19 for projecting into thefirebox the column of fuel which is above the truncated portion 24 ofthe discharge conduit, prior to the opening of the flredoor C.

Branching from the steam pipe 53 is a lead 65 which supplies steam tothe pressure fluid head 20 as through the lead lines 23 which branchfrom said lead 65. The fluid leads 63 and 65 are connected by a checkvalve 66 which normally seated as shown in Figure 2 by the pressure inthe lead 65. The fluid leads 58, 59 and 65 are provided with the valves56a, 59a and 65a respectively, the valve 58o. being normally closed, andbeing opened only when it is desired to project forwardly the fuel inthat portion of the discharge conduit mouth portion rearward of thesteam head independently of the use of the regulating valve. The valve59a is preferably opened to admit a higher pressure of steam into thelead 59 and hence into the recess 62 of the valve stem 61 than isallowed to pass through the valve 65a. of the pressure head lead 65.

The cylinder 70 of the regulating valve 57 is covered by a cap 72 havingan atmospheric opening 73 in the flange 74 communicating with saidcylinder and is provided with a recess 75 suitable to accommodate theextension 77 of the piston 60. A controllable valve 78 is threaded intothe cap 72 to control the size of the atmospheric opening 79 which is incommunication with said recess 75.

By referring to Figures 2 and 3 and 5, it will be observed that when thepedal arm 52 is depressed to interrupt the operation of the Stokerdriving engine, a further pressure thereon will cause the lever arm 51to raise the valve 47a providing communication between the compressedair line 49 and the lead 50 and permitting compressed air to enter thelead 50 from the lead 49 thereby raising the piston 60 and the stem 61thereof. The upward movement of the piston 60 will then the rearthereof.

connect the pressure fluid leads 58 and 59 Gaus-contiguous edges of saidrear and side walls deing the relatively high pressure of steam to enterthe branch lead 63 for supplying steam to the chamber 54 for projectinginto the firebox the column of fuel above the distributor plate 19 at Atthe same time, the higher steam pressure in the lead 63 will unseat thecheck valve 66 as shown in Figure 3, thereby admitting higher steampressure to the pressure fluid head 20 for assisting the projection offuel into the rebox. A short interval after the valve member '7l in itsupward movement has effected communication between the leads 58 and 59through its recessed portion 62, it effects in its continued upwardmovement, communication between the compressed air lines and 44 when thepiston is raised above the point at which the line 44 opens into thecylinder '70. Communication between the lines 50 and 44 beingestablished, compressed air passes from the line 50 into the line le andthence to the motor cylinder 36 for opening the door C.

It will be understood that the upward movement of the piston 60 from theposition shown in Figure 2 to that shown in Figure 3 will be almostinstantaneous due to the atmospheric opening '73 thus allowing thepressure uid leads 58 and 59 to be connected quickly, permitting steamto pass from the supply pipe 53, through the lead 59, into the cylinder70, then successively through the leads 58 and 63 to the header 64, fromwhich steam is emitted for projecting the fuel forwardly which isrearward and above the plane of the distributor plate. The furtherupward traverse of the piston 6) will be at a slower rate of speedcommensurate with the size of the atmospheric opening '79 as controlledby the valve 78 for allowing the air in the recess '75 to be compressedand evacuated by the upward movement of the extension '7'7 of the piston60. Thus, after the pressure fluid leads 58 and 59 are quicklyconnected, they will remain in communication with each other for aninterval of time, as regulated by the valve '78, sucient to project allof the fuel forwardly which is rearward of the distributor plate andabove the plane thereof.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have provided a new anduseful upwardly and downwardly movable redoor having a flexible portionw lich is especially adapted for use as a hood or roof of a stokerdischarge conduit mouth portion. The iiredoor being arranged so thatwhen the firedocr is moved vertically, the lower portion thereof, whichis necessarily flared rearwardly to serve as a roof for the stokerdischarge mouth, is arranged to be raised in the manner as described,thereby occupying but little space in the cab rearward of the boilerbackwall.

It will also be apparent that I have provided a novel Stoker controlmechanism in conjunction with a pressure fluid operated door which isparticularly useful and advantageous for use with stok-ers whichdischarge fuel through the firing opening closed by a firedoor forming aroof for said Stoker discharge mouth.

While but one ferm of the invention is illustrated, others arecontemplated within the scope of the appended claims,

l claim:

l. ln a iirebox having a wall provided with a ring opening, a stokerconduit communicating with said opening, said conduit including a rearwall and side walls extending upwardly beyond the upper edge of saidrea-r wall and above the lower marginal edge of said firing opening, the

lining an opening extending upwardly and forwardly from the upper edgeof said rear wall and terminating near the upper marginal edge of saidiring opening, and a door comprising flexibly related segments arrangedto form a closure for said opening and to be raised from coveringposition to expose the opening.

2. In a iirebox having a wall provided with a firing opening, a stokerconduit communicating with said opening, said conduit including a rearwall terminating at its upper end below the level of the upper half ofthe firing opening, side walls extending upwardly beyond the upper edgeof said rear wall above the level of the lower half of the firingopening, conduit being provided with an aperture opposite the firngopening extending from the upper edge of said rear wall upwardly andforwardly and terminating near the upper marginal edge of the ringopening and being defined by the contiguous edges of said rear and sidewalls, and a door for said aperture, said door comprising exibly relatedsegments and arranged to be raised from covering position to expose thefiring opening,

3. In a nrebox having a wall provided with a firing opening, a stokerconduit communicating with said opening, said conduit including a rearwall and side walls extending upwardly beyond the upper edge of saidrear wall and above the lower marginal edge of said nring opening, saidsidewalls having the edges of their extended portions curving upwardlyand forwardly from the upper edge of said rear wall to points adjacentupper marginal edge of the ring opening, a race in each of said sidewalls following the contour of the curved edges thereof, a door forminga closure for the opening described by the curved edges of said sidewalls and the upper edge of said rear wall said door comprising flexiblyrelated segments and being arranged to be received in said races andmeans for moving said dior along said races.

e. In a rebox having a wall provided with an opening therein for handand Stoker firing, a stoker riser conduit communicating with said firingopening, said riser conduit including a rear wall term nating at itsupper endl below the level of the upper half of the firing opening, sidewalls extending upwardly beyond the edge of said rear wail above thelevel of the lower half of the firing opening, said conduit beingprovided with an aperture opposite the firing opening extending fromlthe upper edge of said rear wall upwardly and forwardly and terminatingnear the upper marginal edge of the firing opening and being deiined bycontiguous edges of said rear and side walls, and a movable door whenclosed forming a closure for the aperture formed by the contiguous edgesof the rear and side walls and forming together with said walls aclosure for that portion of the riser conduit adjacent the firingopening.

5. In a fireoox having a wall provided with an opening therein for handand stolrer firing, a Stoker riser conduit communicating with said ringopening, said riser conduit including a rear wall terminating at itsupper end below the level of the upper half of the firing opening, sidewalls extending upwardly beyond the upper edge of said rear wall abovethe level of the lower half of the ring opening and spaced apart adistance to include the `ring opening therebetween, said conduit beingprovided with an aperture opposite the firing opening extending from theupper edge Va Stoker riser conduit communica* f beyond the upper edge oisaid the firing opening, side walls e. d up ear wall icc as far as theupper rn rginal ed e of tlc-e opening and spaced apart -a distance tothe firing opening therebetween, said conduit reing provided with anaperture opposite tl opening extending from the upper edge rear wallupwardly and orwardiy and tern l ing near the upper marginal edge oi theP opening and being defined by the contiguous edges of said rear andside walls, and movable door when closed forming a closure ier :neaperture formed by the contiguous edges of the rear and side walls andforming together with walls a closure for that por ion or the riserconduit adjacent the firing opening.

'7. In combination, a rebox having a backhead with a firing openingtherein, a Stoker rise conduit in communication with the firing opening,said conduit having iront, rear and side walls, the upper end portion ofthe front wall extending forwardly into the lower portion of l the ringopening and the upper end of the rear opening and in register with theng opening,

and a movable door when closed forming a closure for the aperture formedby the contiguous edges of the rear and side walls and ior g togetherwith said walls a closure for that portion tion of the front wall or thecond it, when open exposing the entire portion part of the firingopening above the upper portion of the iront wall of the conduit.

8. In combination, a iirebox having a wall with a firing opening thereinfor hand and stoker iring, a stoker riser conduit in communication withthe firing opening, said conduit having front, and side walls, the upperend portion of iront wall extending forwardly into the lower portion ofthe ring opening and the upper end of the rear wall being spaced fromand terminating above that portion of the front wall extending into thefiring opening and below the level of th upper half of the iiringopening, said side walls extending to Said rebox wall and beyond andabove said rear wall to a height above the level of the lower half ofthe firing opening and spaced apart a distance to include the ringopening therebetween, said conduit being proided 'with an apertureopposite the firing opening extending irom the upper edge of said rearwall upwardly and forwardly and terminating near the upper marginal edgeof the firing opening being dened by the contiguous edges of said rearand side walls, and a movable door when closed iornfing closure for theaperture formed by the contiguous edges or" the rear and side walls andforming together with said walls a olosure for that portion of the nringopening above the upper end portion of the front wall of the conduit,door when open completely exposing that part of the ring opening abovethe upper end portion of the iront wall of the conduit.

9. In a rebox having a wall provided with a ring opening therein forhand and stoker ring, a Stoker conduit in communication with the lowerportion or" said firing opening, said Stoker conduit at its delivery endincluding a rear Wall and side walls extending beyond and above theupper edge or" said rear wall and above the lower marginal edge of saidring opening, and a redoor having an upper and a lower portion, theupper portion of said iredoor forming a closure for the upper portion ofsaid firing opening and the lower portion of said iredoor forming aclosure for the opening dened by the contiguous edges of Said rear andside walls.

"0. a rrebox lia-ving a wall provided with a open "f ther i for hand andStoker rin communication with the rn ci firing opening, said Stoker titi: delivery end including a rear wall g beyond and above the wall andabove the lower firing opening, and a fireupper and lower portion, thertion saiVA redoor being substantially o1 wien rebox wall and forming aclothe upper portion of said iring opening and t e lowei portion or saidredoor extending diy roin said upper portion of the reforming a closurefor the opening dey the contiguous edges lof said rear and side walls.

li. In a iirebox having a wall provided with a opening therein for handand stoker ni a ,Stoker conclu: rigidly secured with said inbox wail c^'unicating with the lower portion of said ring opening, said stokerconduit at its de* y including a rear wall and side walls e: edge oi sid having an r rpor ton or" said iredoor forming a closure for theripper port- .i of said ng opening the lower portion of said door ormnga closure for the opening donned by the contiguous edges of said rearand side walls.

l2. in a nrebox hcvirg a wall provided with a firing for hand Stokerring, a stoker conduit rigidly secured with said it and communicatingwith the lower portion o said opening, said stoker conduit at itsdelivery end including, a rear wall and side walls extending beyond andabove the upper edge of rear wall and above 'the lower marginal or" Jopening. Aedo-oi' having an and loi Ar portion, the upper portion ofsaid nredoor being suostantially parallel with said irebox wall and ng aclosure for the upper portion of said firing opening and the lowerportion of said firedoor extending rearwardly from said upper portion ofthe redoor .Law f al).

on, the upper p arand forming a closure for the opening defined by thecontiguous edges of said rear and side walls.

13. In a rebox having a wall provided with a firing opening therein forhand and Stoker nring, a stoker conduit in communication with the lowerportion of said opening, said stolrer conduit at its delivery endincluding a rear wall and side walls extending beyond said rear wall,said side walls having edges oi their extended portions curving upwardlyand forwardly from the upper edge of said rear wall to points adjacentthe riring opening, and a nre door having an upper and a lower portion,the upper portion of said firedoor being substantially parallel withsaid firebox wall and forming a closure for the upper portion of saidfiring opening and the lower portion of said nredoor extendingrearwardly from said upper portion of the rlredoor and forming a closurefor the opening donned by the contiguous edges of said rear and sidewalls.

14. n a firebox having a wall provided with a firing opening therein forhand and Stoker nring, a Stoker conduit in communication with the iiringopening, the stolzer conduit having side walls including fuel supportingportions which extend above the upper terminus of the rear wall of thestoker conduit and above the lower marginal edge of the ng opening, theupper edges of said fuel supporting portions of the sidewallsterminating below the upper marginal edge of the firing opening, and aiiredoor having an upper and a lower portion, the upper portion of saidfiredoor forming closure for the upper portion of said firing openiigabove the upper edges of said fuel suppor'mg portions of the sidewallsand the lower portion of said redoor extending rearwardly from saidupper portion of the iiredoor forming a wall of the stolrer conduitbetween said fuel supporting portions of the sidewalls and forward ofthe upper terminus of said rear wall.

15. In a flrebox having a wall provided with a ring opening therei forhand and Stoker ring, a Stoker conduit in communication with the firingopening, said stolzer conduit at its delivery end including a rear walland walls, said sidewalls including fuel supporting portions extendiniTbeyond and above the upper edge of said rear wall and above the lowermarginal edge of said ring opening but terminating below the uppermarginal edge thereof, the conduit opening forwardly into said ringopening between said fuel supporting portions of the sidewalls andopening upwardly between said fuel sup'- porting portions of thesidewalls and the plane of the r-ebox wall and the upper edge of therear wall, said last named opening being defined by the contiguous edgesof the rear wall and the fuel supporting portions of the side walls, anda firedoor having an upper and a lower portion, the upper portion ofsaid nredoor forming a closure for the upper portion of said firingopening above the upper edges of said fuel supporting portions of theside walls and the lower portion of said redoor forming a closure forthe opening defined by the contiguous edges of said rear wall and saidfuel supporting portions of the sidewalls.

16. In a iirebox having a wall provided with a firing opening thereinfor hand and Stoker ring, a stoker conduit communicating with the firingopening, said stoker conduit at its delivry end including a rear walland side walls havfu-el supporting portions extending beyond and abovethe upper edge of said rear wall and above the lower marginal edge ofsaid firing opening but terminating below the upper marginal edgethereof, the conduit opening forwardiy into said firing opening betweensaid fuel supporting portions of the side walls and opening upwardlybetween said fuel supporting portions of the side walls and the plan-eof the flrebox wall and the upper edge of said rear Wall, said lastnamed opening being defined by the contiguous edges of tl e rear walland the fuel supporting portions of the side walls, and a redoor havingan upper and a lower portion, the upper portion of said iiredoor beingsubstantially parallel with said firebox wall and forming a closure forthe upper portion of said firing opening above the upper edges of saidfuel supporting portions of the sidewalls and the lower portion of saidredoor extending rearwardly from said upper portion of the iiredoor andforming a closure for the opening donned by the contiguous edges of saidrear wall and said fuel supporting portions of the side walls.

17. In a nrebox having a wall provided with an opening therein for handand Stoker firing, a stolrer feed conduit extending upwardly andforwardly to said firing opening, said conduit having in its upperportion opposite and remote from said firing opening an apertureconstituting a manhole for entry into the rebox and for hand ring offuel, said aperture extending downwardly below the level of the upperhalf of said firing opening and upwardly above the level of Irhe lowerhalf of said firing opening, said conduit having sidewalls extendingupwardly above the lower marginal edge of said aperture and above thelevel of the lower half of the firing opening and spaced apart adistance to include the firing opening therebetween, the horizontaldistance between the vertical planes passing through the longitudinalextremities of said aperture being greater than the longitudinalhorizontal distance across said conduit adjacent the lower extremity ofsaid aperture, a door closing said aperture extending forward of thetransverse vertical plane passed through the interior upper edge of theforward wall of the feed conduit.

PAUL A. KETCHPEL.

